Benzema out of Dortmund meeting

Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema will miss Tuesday's Champions League game against German champions Borussia Dortmund, coach Jose Mourinho revealed on Monday. Benzema had earlier missed training, the club website saying he joined midfielder Michael Essien in a gym session instead. Benzema came on for the final 21 minutes of Saturday's 4-0 thumping of Real Zaragoza and set up a goal for Essien, finishing the match without any apparent injury problem. However, Mourinho, who will play Gonzalo Higuain up front as Real try to make up for their loss in Germany last month, said: "Benzema is out - he has a groin muscle strain." Meanwhile, Spanish central defender Sergio Ramos, who had missed several days training owing to a back problem which has plagued him since last month's World Cup qualifier against France, did appear Monday at the club's Valdebebas training centre.